GONIOPS (ALDRICH), EARLY STAGES IN GENERAL. 



The following brief characteristics of the early stages of Goniops 

 are given by Malloch (1917). 



"Larva. — Mandibles stout, slightly curved, apically truncated; antennae 

 elongate, 3-jointed, basal joint stout, tapering apically, about twice as long as 

 apical 2 combined; apical joint much shorter than preapical; maxillary palpi 

 2-jointed, the apical joint slender and distinctly shorter than the basal. Thoracic 

 segments very distinctly tapered anteriorly, abdomen stout, roughly oval in 

 outline, the whole body appearing pyriform or slightly club-shaped; abdominal 

 segments with rather irregularly arranged transverse series of locomotor tuber- 

 cles; spiracular chamber in form of a vertical slit." 



"Pupa. — Head without projecting thorns; antennal sheath short, curved 

 downward. Prothorax about one-third as long as mesothorax; wings short, 

 extending to apex of first ventral abdominal segment; apices of hind tarsi slightly 

 surpassing apices of wings. Armature of dorsal abdominal segments consist- 

 ing of stout thorns in a transverse series, 2 of which, near middle of segments 

 2 to 7, are much stronger than the others; later the series are discontinued some 

 distance from margins; apical segment with three strong thorns on each side, 

 between which are several weaker protuberances." 



The eggs are, as stated by Malloch, (after Walton (?), McAtee 

 (?)), usually deposited on the under side of leaves of various plants, 

 and when the larvae hatch they drop to the ground, living after- 

 wards among the decaying leaves and other vegetable debris. They 

 are probably predacious like other Tabanida?. 



The egg masses are parasitized by a proctotrypid parasite. 



McAtee briefly compares the larva and pupa of Goniops, apparently 

 the only native pangoniid genus of which these stages have been 

 described, with the comparatively well studied immature forms of 

 the true tabanids, such as Tahanus and Chrysops. 



Hart says (quoted by McAtee) : 



"All the larvae of Tabanidae studied agree in the following general characters: 

 Body tapering at both ends, which are somewhat pointed; skin shining and glassy, 

 with opaque markings of a microscopic felted pubescence. The palpi have 

 short thick joints; the basal joint of the antennae is quite short, and there is a 

 bunch of stiff diverging recurved hairs between each antenna and the median 



line above." 



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